March 29, 2024, 8:59 pm


FT Online

Published:
2019-12-18 22:20:36 BdST

‘Where had been AL leaders when Bangabandhu assassinated’? PM


Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said she is still looking for an answer where all the leaders of Awami League had been when Bangabandhu was assassinated and why no-one of them came forward to play a courageous role against the killing.

"It’s (Awami League) such a big organisation… so many leaders! Where had they been? Sometimes I want to know that; no-one came forward with their courage. The mass people were always with Bangabandhu," she said.

The Prime Minister said this while addressing a discussion meeting arranged marking the 49th Victory Day.

Awami League organised the discussion at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) here with its President Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Hasina wondered why no-one of the country could know about the assassination of Bangabandhu and why no-one took any step against the killing!

"That dead body lied on the floor of [Dhanmondi] 32, why? I didn’t get that answer till today," she said.

The Prime Minister said the failure to protect Bangabandhu forced the nation to pay for the next decades. "Because, there were repeated coups, there were 18-19 coups in this country after the assassination of the Father of the Nation… there had been oppression and tortures on the leaders and activists of the party," she said.

“Had anyone come forward with one’s courage, then these oppressions and tortures might not have taken place, and there might not be repeated coups in the country… these repeated coups pushed the country to the verge of destruction," Hasina said.

After the independence, she said, Bangladesh got Bangabandhu to build the country but there were some conspirators who with the help of Pakistan tried to make the country a failed one. “There were also some people who were so engrossed after the independence that they didn’t even think how to protect the Father of the Nation but took advantages from him.”

As a result, the August 15 fell upon the whole nation as an era of darkness, she said.

The Prime Minister said there are still some people who have affection for Pakistan, and their dream is to make Bangladesh a failed state.

"We liberated our country from Pakistan and Bangladesh will always remain above Pakistan economically, politically, socially, culturally and in all other positive indices. The reality today is that we’re ahead of them. We’re now in a better position from all," she said adding that this has to be maintained.

Hasina said the conspiracy by the admirers of Pakistan against Bangladesh will continue, no matter whether they are -- abroad or in jail. "We have to thwart that conspiracy and we’ve to take our country forward," she said.

She also said the Awami League government always engages in materialising the dream of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and that is to make the country a developed and prosperous one which will be free from hunger and poverty.

AL general secretary Obaidul Quader delivered the welcome address at the discussion which was addressed, among others, by AL leaders Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Matia Chowdhury, Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Prof Marina Jahan Kabita, Humayun Kabir and SM Mannan Kochi.

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